Untouched
by It's The Fear
Summary: Leon returns home from Spain with one thing on his mind; Claire Redfield. After all these years and all the unsaid words between them, it was finally time to tell her just how he felt. After all, you never know when the dead will rise again. J/C, L/C
1. Chapter 1

He should have known that it would never be that easy. Leon Kennedy should have known that once experiencing the horror that was Raccoon City, his life would never be the same. He remembered always bragging to his friends about how seeing a dead body wouldn't so much as faze him, back when he first told them he wanted to be a cop. A dead body probably wouldn't have fazed him, but one that was half eaten and rose from the dead would.

He had thought it was over, and then he got that email from Claire, and right then and there, he feared that it would never be truly over.

A smile spread across his face at the thought of her name. He had it so bad, that even just hearing her name would brighten his day. It had been a while since he had last seen her, a few years at least, but he could still picture her face as if he had just seen her yesterday. True beauty would never leave a man's brain.

Her long, auburn hair was always thrown up into a loose ponytail. Her clear baby blue eyes seemed like the perfect contrast against her hair, and always sucked Leon right in, even with just so much as a glance. She was a jeans and t-shirt kinda girl, something else that drew Leon to her. She wasn't like those girls you'd see hanging around the mall that had to wear three pounds of makeup, have a crap load of hairspray in their hair, and have clothes that barely covered anything. She could wear no makeup, throw her hair up in a ponytail, have on loose jeans and a sweatshirt, and she would still be the best damn thing he'd ever seen.

Leon shook the thoughts from his mind as he pulled up to his driveway. It had been so long since he had last been home. Too long.

Upon returning from Spain with Ashley, the President told Leon to take some time off work and recuperate. Normally, Leon would have fought against it. He loved his job more than anything, even though it always took him away from those he cared so much about. Sometimes, he felt like it was the only thing keeping him sane. But the brush with death, yet again, had helped Leon realize that some things should never be left unsaid. If he had learned anything from Raccoon City, it was that life was short. He had let the world keep spinning without telling her how much she meant to him, because he always figured he had time. But after experiencing the horrors that lurked in Spain, he knew that his time could run out at any second.

And so that's why he was coming back. He had to see her, touch her, to let her know just how much she'd meant to him all these years.

Leon stepped out of his car, his hand pulling out a set of keys that were lodged deep into his pocket. _Nothing's changed, _he noted. Over the years, Leon had not only grown closer to Claire, but to her big brother as well. Whenever Leon left for work, Chris would go back and forth between houses, just to make sure the inside didn't get completely covered with dust and suffocate Leon in a surprise attack when he returned. Facing hordes of undead monsters, not a problem. Walking into a room and being ambushed by dust, something that Leon would have preferred to not experience.

It was quiet when he entered his house, closing the door shut silently behind him. Chris wasn't here, that's for sure. Leon remembered one day when he was on his way home, he wasn't even out of his car and he could hear the music blaring from inside his house. His poor neighbors. He walked into the house to see Chris sitting on the couch, his mouth full of a sandwich he had just taken a huge bite out of. Yup, that was Chris Redfield, alright.

It was quiet here, almost too quiet. Though the horrors were over, Leon still remembered that the silent moments in both Raccoon City and Spain were the ones where he was about to come face to face with the undead. It still sent shivers running down his spine, even though he knew he was safe at home.

He threw his bags down and grabbed a hold of his cell phone, dialing a number quickly before putting it up to his ear. After a few rings, a husky voice could be heard on the other end.

"Hey, Kennedy! What's up, buddy? You home already?"

Leon smiled and chuckled, nodding his head, though he knew Chris couldn't see it through the phone. "Oh yeah. Hey, thanks for looking after my place again, it looks great!"

"Oh, well you can thank Jill for that one."

"Oh no…you had a girl over at my place? I told you no!" Leon joked. No, but seriously, Chris had a girl, he had _Jill _over at his place. He looked hesitantly at his couch, and then sent another glance up the stairs towards his bedroom. Wonderful. There's a nice image to have when he's trying to go to sleep tonight. Chris's naked ass rolling around on both his bed and his couch. He shuddered at the sheer thought.

Chris let out a bellowing laugh. "Sorry, _dad_. What are you up to today?"

"Not much. I was just gonna unpack, jump in the shower, and then I figured I might come over to see you and Jill. That alright?"

"Sounds perfect. I'll see you in a bit, alright?"

"Sounds good." With that, Leon hung up his phone and slipped it back into his pocket.

He grabbed a hold of his bags and dragged himself up the stairs. He walked into his bedroom and threw his bags on the bed as he began to unpack them. He shuddered as he studied his bed sheets. It didn't look like anyone had been on his bed. But then again, he was sure Chris could tidy up. Actually, maybe not. It _was_ Chris Redfield he was talking about, after all. Leon shrugged and walked over to his bathroom, preparing himself for a shower. There was one solution, and one solution only; burn the bed sheets.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Kennedy, man, it's good to finally see you again!" Chris wrapped his arms tightly around Leon, squeezing him with as much force he could summon. Leon struggled for air as he pushed the man away from him, his eyes studying Chris's arms in shock.

"Jesus, Chris. When did you start taking steroids?" Leon let out a laugh as he walked into his friend's house.

Chris waved Leon's comment away. "You _wish_ you could have guns like these."

"Yeah, we're all _really _proud."

Chris turned around, Leon's eyes falling on the women who came towards them. If Leon didn't know that Chris and Jill had moved in together, he would have guessed that the woman in front of him was some random that Chris had brought home. He hardly recognized her, she had changed so much.

The last time Leon saw Jill, she was still sporting short dark brown hair. It surprised him to see that she had grown it out to well past her elbows and that it had been colored to resemble the sun. She still had that same welcoming smile, and her clear blue eyes still lit up when she talked. That was no surprise.

"Hey, Jill, it's good to see you again. Wow, you've changed so much." Leon told her, wrapping his arms around her for a quick hug. Chris watched on with a huge grin on his face, happy to see that the original Raccoon City family was almost all back together yet again.

"It's good to see you too. I'll leave you guys to your guy talk; I was just running to the store. You guys want anything?"

Leon shook his head with a polite smile on his face. Still, always thinking of others.

"Oh, can you pick me up some bacon? I went to make some this morning, but I couldn't find any."

Jill opened the door and turned around, shaking her head at Chris. "That's because you eat that stuff like no tomorrow. One of these days, Redfield. One of these days you're gonna drop dead from all the crap you eat." And with that, Jill was gone.

Chris grabbed Leon a beer from the fridge as they both took a seat at the dinning room table. Leon cracked open his beer, taking a swig from it. God it felt good to just relax with a friend and have a beer. If he hadn't made it back from Spain, he had to admit, beer was definitely up there on the list of things he'd miss.

"So, what's going on with you and Jill now?" Leon asked, curious about their arrangements. It must not be easy to share a place with someone you have such strong feelings for, and vice versa.

Chris shrugged and took a mouthful of beer before answering his friend's question. "Nothing, man. I just can't bring myself to tell her. I don't want to blow this friendship, and if she doesn't feel the same way, that's all it'll do."

"Chris, I've told you, she does. A monkey could tell you that she does."

Chris shot Leon a cold stare before he squinted, staring deep into Leon's eyes. This was not a subject that he liked to talk about. All it ever seemed to do was upset him for being such a damn coward when it came to feelings and Jill Valentine. "Have you talked to Claire since you came back into town?"

Leon's heart nearly stopped beating at the mention of her name. He could feel the heat rushing to his face and could do no more than hope it wasn't turning into a blush. "I haven't. I was debating whether or not I should drop by her place to see her. She still living at the same place?"

Chris nodded. "She is. She's at work now though. But she was supposed to come out tonight with Jill and I. Why don't you come with, you can give her a nice surprise."

Chris watched his friend carefully, reading the emotions that were spread across his face. In Chris's eyes, no one was good enough for his little sister. But Leon, however, came pretty damn close. He knew that Leon had made some mistakes in the past, like leaving Claire behind while he headed to Washington to take a job with the President. But when it came down to it, Chris would have probably done the same thing.

When it came to protecting the innocent, it was a trait that both he and Leon possessed. He never blamed Leon for leaving Claire behind, even though he could see the sorrow that lurked within his little sister's eyes. He knew that eventually, Leon would come back for her. When two people share the bond that Leon and Claire do, something always draws them back to one another.

"Yeah, that's sounds pretty good. I'll be there."

Leon took a deep gulp of beer, trying to calm the nerves that were standing at attention throughout his body. Of course, being chased through a village by a maniac wielding a chainsaw didn't make his heart skip a beat, but the thought of seeing Claire Redfield in the flesh did. That was the thing about Claire Redfield; she always had a way with him.


	2. You Found Me

Was it stupid that he literally spent well over an hour getting ready to go out? He didn't even put that much effort into getting ready for his own prom! Leon took one last glance in the mirror, studying every inch of what stared back at him. His hair looked the same way it always had; he didn't have the heart to change it. Leon Kennedy wasn't an insecure man, he was, however, not too thrilled about the shape his head took if he cut his hair too short. It wasn't egg shaped, it was just…weird. Or at least, what he thought was weird. He pushed a strand of loose chestnut brown hair away from his eyes and quickly gave his outfit a one over.

He wore loose fitting black pants that hung low off his waist. His shirt was a deep navy color and clung onto every muscle for dear life, accentuating every rip his stomach bore. His broad shoulders filled out the shirt nicely, as did his upper body as well. Maybe just enough for him to get Claire to take notice. He couldn't help but wish his arms were as big as Chris's though. He'd have to ask him what his secret was.

"Redfield is _so_ taking 'roids." Leon laughed. Or maybe he just wanted to get Jill's attention that bad…

He threw on a leather jacket and tied up his boots before grabbing his wallet and sliding it into his back pocket. This was it. He had to pull out _all_ the stops tonight.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Chris had told Leon to 'run into them' at the bar a while after he, Jill and Claire would show up. Leon sat anxiously in his car, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. His fingers dug deep into the leather with a force that startled even him. How could a woman drive him so crazy? He shook it off as nerves. After all, he hadn't seen Claire in years, and yet…

There she was.

His heart nearly flew out of his mouth as he watched her get out of her car. There she was, in all her magnificent glory, Claire Redfield. Leon chuckled at the all too familiar site of her beautiful fiery red hair thrown up into a ponytail. Upon closer inspection, he'd noticed that it had gotten longer.

"_I want to grow my hair." Claire said, studying her reflection in the mirror._

_Leon turned from the couch to look at her, a confused expression written on his face as he swallowed the beer that had filled his mouth. "What do you mean? How long? It looks great now." He shrugged._

_Claire scoffed as her fingers ran through her fire-red hair, tying it up on top of her head. He fought back the urge to walk over to her and run his own fingers through her hair. His fingertips burned to feel the softness that would no doubt come with the action his body longed to do._

"_Leon, you wouldn't notice if I shaved my head."_

There. She was finally wrong about something. He _did_ notice. Thankfully though, she hadn't shaved her head.

He forced himself to turn away from his friend as she dodged the parked cars to make her way into the bar. He felt like a big-time creeper. Seriously, who sits in their car and gawks over a woman he hasn't seen in years but wants so damn much? A creeper, that's who. And Leon Kennedy was no creeper.

He couldn't just sit there though. Leon was a man of action, and his body was begging him to get out of that damn car. Tapping his fingers on the driving wheel, Leon ran over Chris's instructions one more time in his head.

"_Okay, so Claire is gonna meet me and Jill at the bar around 10. I say you come waltzing in around 10:30 or so. And whatever you do, do _not _tell her that I knew you were in town." Chris said, wagging his finger at Leon like he was a child who was being scolded by his father. He saw the smile grow on Leon's face and quickly added, "I'm serious, she will kill me for not telling her."_

_Screw this, _Leon thought to himself as he threw his car door open. His eyes never left her small figure as he came running up from behind her. Different scenarios ran through his mind of how she would react to seeing him. Maybe she'd throw her arms around his neck and slap a big kiss on him. Maybe she'd tell him how much she missed him, and how she never wants him to leave her again. Or maybe, she'll punch him in the stomach.

Leon stumbled back, his hand holding his stomach where Claire's fist had made contact. Hard contact, for that matter. A cough escaped his thin lips as he tried to suck air back into his lungs. Leave it to a Redfield to know exactly where to punch to stop you dead in your tracks.

"Oh my God, Leon?!" Claire screamed as she ran to his side, her hands gripping onto his arms tightly. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry! Why would you come running at me from behind? Has Raccoon City taught you nothing?" Normally, so much as mentioning the name of the city where her life was ruined would cause her heart to skip a beat. But for the first time, she found a feeling of amusement roll off her tongue alongside those two fateful words.

"I wanted to surprise you." Leon gasped out, air finally finding its way back into his lungs.

She laughed as Leon straightened. Her smiled proved to be contagious as one soon spread across Leon's face. He shook his head and opened his arms, pulling her into him. This was the Claire Redfield he knew, and damn, was he glad to have her back.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Look who I ran into in the parking lot!"

Claire's sudden voice startled both Jill and Chris who were seated at opposite ends of a booth. Jill looked straight ahead and smiled at the two young kids she saw standing behind Chris. They had gotten older and more mature, no doubt about it. But every time she looked at them, she couldn't help but see the scared college student and the naïve rookie cop. But that was them than, and this is them now. She stood up and walked over to the young woman she thought of as a sister, hugging her closely before turning to the man who now served as a bodyguard to the President's family. This was _her_ family.

"Hey, Leon. You met Claire in the parking lot, eh? At _10_?" Chris asked quietly through his teeth as Leon took a seat beside him.

"He told me about your little plan, Chris. Don't worry; I'll deal with you later."

Chris shot Leon the evil eye before chugging the rest of his beer. He slammed the glass down on the table and caught the attention of the waitress with the intention on ordering more alcohol. He'd need it to get through the ass kicking his little sister was planning on giving him.

~*~*~*~*~*~

She couldn't believe that he was sitting in front of her. Further more, she couldn't believe the stories he had brought back with him from his glorious job in Washington. She was in awe at how much he had changed over the years. Never in a million years would she have thought that that scrawny, innocent rookie cop from Raccoon City could have turned into a man like the one that was sitting before her. He was so much bigger than she remembered, the muscles bulged out from under his tight fitting shirt as if begging her to rip it right off him. She shifted in her seat at the thought.

Claire's eyes trailed across the room, where Jill and Chris were sitting in stools by the bar. If there was one thing she loved about her big brother, it was that he knew when to take a hint. "You think it's over?" She asked him quietly, leaning in so he could hear her whisper over the music.

Leon followed her movement and edged forward, only to lean back against the cushion behind him. "I seriously doubt that. It'll only be a matter of time before we get news of more movement on their side."

Claire let out a defeated sigh and she shook her head, her fingers running aimlessly on the side of her glass.

"Evil will never die, Claire."

His words were harsh, but true. She needed the reality check that only Leon seemed to want to give her. Chris always sugarcoated the truth, probably in the attempt to shield his little sister from the dangers that lurked in the real world. And Jill refused to even so much as address anything that had to do with Umbrella or viruses. Her work and home lives were always separated, which constantly left Claire out of the picture. Finally, she had someone who, like always, would give it to her straight. She wasn't a little girl who needed protecting. She was a grown woman who needed people to start fessing up to the truth in what was happening around them.

Neither of them said a word to each other. They didn't know what to say. Leon was beginning to worry that maybe he shouldn't have mentioned Spain at all, that it was too much too fast. He watched as Claire's eyes drifted past him and focused on something that wasn't him.

She sat in silence for a few moments before she finally spoke. "You know, maybe it's a blessing that Raccoon City happened."

Leon shot her a confused look. He couldn't understand how she could possibly say that that blood fest was a blessing.

"I mean, look at them."

Leon turned around and discovered what her eyes had been planted on for the past few moments. Jill and Chris sat facing each other on the barstools. Their knees were touching as Chris said something to Jill, prompting her to throw her head back in laughter. He took a swig of his beer, his eyes not leaving Jill for a moment.

"They're like, made for each other." Leon turned back around as Claire finished explaining herself. "I don't think they would have ever grown so close if it weren't for what happened in Raccoon City. Being one of the few survivors, I think they have a bond that no one else will ever understand."

_No one but us, _Leon thought as he watched the girl sitting before him. He knew that look that he saw swimming in the beautiful ocean she called her eyes. She wanted that. She wanted that almost as desperately as he did. She wanted to be with someone who looked at her as adoringly as Chris looked at Jill. She wanted to feel the security and safety that would come in a relationship like that. Sadly, the thought of her finding all that in him probably never even crossed her mind.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Claire had agreed to keep both Chris and Jill out of the loop in regards to what Leon had faced in Spain. He was right; they didn't need that weighing them down. Each of the four Raccoon City survivors were trying desperately to live their lives as normal as possible. But when she thought about it, she realized that she was the only one of the four who was actually sticking to that mindset.

Both Chris and Jill were working with BSAA, which was also known as Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance. Everyday the two of them went to work knowing full well that they were going to deal with hell. And after hearing Leon's news, she feared it would only be a matter of time before the two of them were called in for a job involving Uroboros.

And Leon, of course, was working with the President. She remembered him talking about how much of a normal job it would be and how excited he was. That, of course, was before he found what waited for him in Spain.

As for Claire, she was supported herself by working as a waitress partime while she was on the prowl for a nursing job. An urge to help people swam through her veins, much like the urge that also ran through everyone else seated at the table. She wanted nothing more than to comfort people as they healed in the hopsital. Or to be there to listen to people as their time was coming to an end. She just wanted to be there.

And yet, here they were, four survivors of Raccoon City, a metropolis that had been turned into an undead freeforall. Everyone of them came from different walks of life with different intentions for their lives, and yet they were brought together like a family during the destruction of a city they all once shared.

Claire pulled her phone out of her pocket and read the screen. What was her boss doing calling her at midnight? She got up from the booth and signaled to her friends that she was going to go outside to take the phone call.

"Claire, forget it, sit your ass back down." Chris told her, waving his hand to the empty seat that was beside Jill.

"I can't, it's my boss. I'll be right back." She told them before she ran towards the front door.

She pushed the front door of the bar open, stepping outside into the cool night that swallowed her. She wrapped her free arm around the other as she walked further away from the entrance, wandering into the parking lot to try and escape from the blaring music that came from inside.

"Hello? Lilly? Hello?" Claire repeated into the phone. She could hear people talking in the background, but no one seemed to be talking into the phone. She called out her bosses name a few more times before she hung up, shaking her head.

"Hey there, pretty lady. You know, I would answer your phone calls."

Claire turned to watch a man stumble her way. Almost instantly, her mind shot back to the undead as they stumbled towards her. She let out a quick breath as she spun around and headed towards the bar once again, her legs pumping quickly underneath her.

"Now, now, where are you running off to so quickly?" Another man emerged from behind a jeep, blocking Claire's path to her friends and safety.

She watched as yet another man came towards her, and she couldn't help but notice that each of them was bigger than the last. She could smell the alcohol coming off them before they even got within one foot of her. And suddenly, she had wished she listened to her big brother.


	3. Surrender

****

First off, I just want to say thank you to everyone who's been reviewing my story. It really means a lot to me to have people tell me their thoughts on what I'm writing, and I truly appreciate it.

**I haven't written a Resident Evil fic in much too long…years, I believe, so bare with me as I try to write this one! I'll do my best, I promise.**

* * *

Every second that passed without her sitting across from him seemed to be as long as an hour. What could possibly be taking her so long? How much of a conversation can you really have with your boss in the middle of the night?

"Right, Leon?" A voice snapped him away from his thoughts as he turned his eyes to Jill, who was awaiting him answer patiently.

"I'm sorry?"

"Are you even listening? What's wrong with you?" Chris asked over the loud music, leaning in towards his friend.

Leon shrugged and looked over to the bar's door as it swung open. He'd hoped it would be Claire who entered, but instead was greeted by the sit of a rather large and round man. He turned to look at his friends, both of whom had wide eyes and confusion written all over their faces.

"What's taking Claire so long?" He paused for a moment before pushing himself up from the booth. "I'm going to see what she's up to. I'll be right back."

Chris turned to Jill and was about to protest Leon's actions when she interrupted him. "He's right. She's been gone for a while." He could hear the concern that was in her voice as she spoke, and suddenly feared for his little sister.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Leon called out Claire's name as he walked through the parking lot. His eyes scanned all around him, but he couldn't seem to locate her. He heard commotion coming from a little further down the lot, and before long, he found himself being drawn to it.

"Get the hell away from me!"

His heart nearly stopped as he recognized the screaming voice. His hurried walk quickly turned into a sprint as he approached the voices. He saw two men standing too close to Claire as another got up from the ground. He whipped blood away from his mouth with his forearm as he dusted himself off.

"You stupid little bitch. Don't think I won't hit you back." He warned as he walked towards her.

"Hey!" Leon called out, his voice booming through the parking lot.

His fist connected with one of the men's temple, knocking him back with almost no effort. The man stumbled back and found himself on the ground, his vision blurred as his surroundings spun around him. Claire instantly went after the man closest to her as Leon turned his attention to the biggest of the drunken threesome.

Claire threw her fist at the man, only to find his hand engulfing it. A smile spread across his face as he twisted her arm, drawing a cry of pain out from her deep red lips. She delivered a swift kick to his manhood, which freed her hand almost instantly. He fell onto his knees seconds before Claire kicked him in the shoulder, sending him towards the pavement as he struggled for breath. As if timed out perfectly, another man wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her well off the ground. Her legs squirmed viciously underneath as she tried to free herself from the deadly grip he had on her.

Leon exchanged punches with the drunken lard that stood before him. He was quick, Leon would give him that much. But he was still no match for Leon's extensive training. He heard Claire's cries over the pounding of his heart that filled his ears and spun around. He watched one man held her still as the other she had kicked to the ground rose. A smile spread across his face as he licked his lips, approaching the young woman they had been after in the first place.

"Get the hell away from my sister!" Chris's voice came as suddenly as his fist, and sent the man hurdling to the hard ground below once again.

Growling, the drunken man holding onto Claire threw her onto the floor behind him. She fell onto her hands and held her upper body above the ground. She glanced back and watched him stumble towards her brother. Instinctively, she threw her leg in his path and swept it underneath him. He collapsed onto the ground not too far from her as Jill ran to her side.

"Are you alright, Claire?" Jill asked as her hands grabbed a tight hold on Claire's arms. She scanned over her friend's body quickly, looking for any injuries she might have suffered at the hands of the drunken men. A wave of relief swam through her when she saw no physical wounds. She could only hope that there was no more emotional damage to the gauge that was already filled with Umbrella incidents.

"Leon." Was all Claire said as her clear blue eyes met with Jill's. Both women turned their attention to the two men that walked towards them. Neither of them had so much as broken a sweat from the beatings they had just delivered. But they could see swelling beginning to emerge from under Leon's eye. A gift from the drunken bastards, no doubt.

"He's fine." Jill assured the younger woman.

"He's a little beaten up, but I'm sure he'll be fine." Chris teased, shooting a smile at the man who stood beside him.

"What? He got _one _good hit on me. So sue me." Leon defended himself, shoving Chris like a child would.

Both women got up as Chris's eyes ran over Claire's small body. Claire shot her big brother a quick look that immediately drew him back.

"You shouldn't check out your sister like that, Chris." She told him, shaking her head at him.

He laughed. Of course she would say something like that. He couldn't expect anything less from a fellow Redfield. "I was just trying to make sure you weren't hurt."

"I'm fine. Just annoyed that men can be such dirty pigs, that's all."

Jill smiled and let out a small, warm laugh as her hands rubbed over Claire's arms to comfort her. She hugged Claire close and kissed the side of her cheek affectionately, the simple action drawing smiles from both Chris and Leon. The horrors of Raccoon City had only drawn them closer to one another. No matter what struggles came their way; they knew that the others would be there by their sides. If the undead couldn't build wedges between them, not much else could, or would.

"We'd better get outta here before these guys wake up and come after us again." Chris glanced back to the pile of men as they began to twitch, slowly recovering from the beating they had just received.

"And before the cops come." Leon added, laughing.

"Alright, let's rendezvous at our place." Chris began, his eyes trailing over to meet Jill's before he turned to his sister and friend.

"'Rendezvous?'" Claire couldn't help but laugh at Chris's choice of words. "You're never off work mode, are you?"

"Is everyone alright to drive?" Jill asked, looking around the circle of friends. "I know you've had a little much, Chris, so it looks like I'll be driving your car. What about you two?"

"I'm good. I didn't have that much to drink anyways." Claire shrugged.

"Yeah, same here."

"Seems like a waste to have three cars. Maybe we should have just picked everyone up." Chris suddenly realized. "Oh well, let's get moving. I don't feel like fighting again, that totally killed my buzz."

Jill and Chris walked towards their car while Leon and Claire made their way to theirs. Leon glanced back to see that he was no longer in the eyesight of his friends. He delivered a swift kick to the puddle of men that still lay grouped together on the ground.

"I hope for your sake, I never see your sorry faces again." He whispered to them as he walked past.

What started as an attempt to reconnect with friends was already beginning to turn into a series of events that none of the group of four would forget. Then again, that was the story of their lives.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It was already later than she had hoped when she pulled up to Chris and Jill's place. All the cars were already parked in front of the house, which came as no surprised to Claire. She had taken a short detour and had picked up coffee for everyone. She wouldn't be surprised if she was the only one who would drink any of it, though. She smiled at the thought of slipping some Bailey's into it and could only hope that Chris and Jill had some stocked in their fridge.

She wasn't surprised to see Leon leaning against his car as she stepped out of hers. She pulled the tray of coffee cups out of her cars carefully, ignoring Leon as he uncrossed his arms from over his chest and pulled himself away from the support his car leant him. He made his way over to her as she closed the door and shot him a smile. He happily returned it.

"I was wondering what took you so long." His eyes fell to the coffee before they met hers once more. She let out a small laugh as they walked to Chris and Jill's house with a slow and steady pace. "Here, let me take that for you." Leon told her as she handed him the tray of coffee.

"Thanks. Thanks for everything."

He looked at her and cocked his eyebrow, hoping to hear her elaborate more on what she meant.

"For helping me with those guys. I hate to think that I need a guy to come and protect me, but I honestly don't think I could have handled all three of them on my own. I mean, give me a gun and throw a herd of zombies at me, and I'll be fine, but it's a little different with the living."

"Yeah, you'll get charged with murder. I have to admit, that's the one thing I enjoyed about Raccoon City. You got to take your anger out hardcore." Leon joked. He smiled when he got a laugh from the woman standing next to him.

He stopped walking when she did, and turned to face her as she faced him. He looked down at her, those gorgeous big blue eyes staring up at him through strands of fire red hair. It was like he was staring into a beautiful clear ocean that lay peacefully underneath dangerous flames that drew him in.

"That wasn't the first time you've saved my ass like that, either." She told him, her voice as quiet as a whisper as it floated on the cool breeze of the night. "You did pretty much the exact same thing back in Raccoon City, when I first met you."

"Well, I couldn't just walk away from the only other living person in that hellhole." Leon shrugged. He could sense how serious the mood around them had suddenly gotten and tried to pull away from it, scared at just how serious the present situation might get.

"But you didn't." She took a step closer to Leon, her head tilted back to stare into his deep blue eyes. Often times she found herself reliving the horrors of Raccoon City and Rockfort Island in her nightmares. No matter what route she took or how many of the undead she killed, she always found herself trapped in a corner with no means of defending herself. She could feel the sheer terror as her mind warned her that she would never see another sunrise again. Tears streamed down her face when she realized that she would die without ever telling her brother, her friends, and _him_ just how much they truly meant to her. And yet, just when the situation seemed utterly hopeless, she found those beautiful eyes shinning out from the dark like a magnificent sword piercing the evil. And now, here she was, staring right back into them again. But this time, it wasn't a nightmare, it was a dream that she never wanted to end.

Throughout all the years he had known Claire, he had prayed for God to give him a sign, any type of sign that she thought of him as more than a friend. If there was a God that watched down on them, he knew that this was most definitely a sign for him to stop being a chicken and make a damn move.

He held out his arm that held the coffee so nothing but their clothes would separate him from her. His free hand brushed her hair away from her forehead so he could see every part of the face he always dreamt about. His finger traced her cheeks, trailing down to her neck, her porcelain skin soft and warm underneath his finger. His hand found its way to the back of her head, his fingers getting lost in her hair as he pulled her closer towards him.

The taste of her sent shivers throughout his entire body. He could feel her arms wrap around his neck, pulling him into her as she welcomed his lips. He slid his tongue past her moist lips and ignored the fluttering in his stomach as she allowed him to deepen the kiss. He felt a moan against his lips as he forgot he was carrying a tray of coffee. He let it fall to the ground below them as his spare hand grabbed a rough hold of Claire's face.

She felt her knees nearly buckle below her as she tasted him. He was sweeter than she had imagined. She ignored the beer that lingered in his mouth, focusing solely on the taste that was Leon Kennedy. This was the man that had saved her life on more than one occasion. This was the man that she had escaped hell with, only to find themselves thrown back into it once again. This was the man she had spent countless nights pinning over, but could never bring herself to admit it to him. She could feel the heat coming off his body and felt hers beg for more. She wanted more than this. She wanted to be his, even just for a night. She needed to fell his body overtop hers, the heat of the living and the pleasure they can bring.

She could feel her heart literally sink into her chest as Leon pulled away from her. He rested his forehead against hers and stared into her eyes with a smile on his face. She could still feel his hands as they rested on her cheeks, his thumbs affectionately drawing circles over her silky skin.

For as long as he could remember, his body had longed for hers. It felt like a glorious dream that he so desperately didn't want to wake from. He wasn't sure what lay ahead for them in the future, but right here, right now, she was his. The elusive Claire Redfield was his. All he could do was smile as he looked into the eyes he found himself dreaming about more times than he would admit.

"I'm sorry, I dropped your coffee."


	4. Boom

**Once again, I want to thank everyone for reviewing. I wouldn't bother finishing this story if it weren't for you guys, so seriously, thank you very much!**

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An excited gasp escaped her lips as Leon ran his hand up her flat stomach. Her head rolled back with her eyes, the sheer touch of his palm sending electric shocks throughout her body. He had her helplessly pinned against the cool wall of her apartment, his spare hand holding up his body as he leaned forward. His cool grey eyes watched her carefully, a smirk spreading across his lips as she moaned deep in her throat. He pushed his fingers underneath her lacey bra, his anxious fingers finding their way to her breast. He rubbed her nipple roughly until it stood at attention much like his manhood.

His name sounded like music to his ears as she moaned it over and over again. Her body was begging for more of his magical touch, and she needed it more than the air she breathed. She arched forward, her chest rubbing against his as his hand let go of her hardened nipple and ran its way down her back. He loved the curve of her back that reached its way down to her ass. It was the sexiest curve he had ever seen on a woman, and Claire had a beautiful one.

He lunged for her throat, thrusting her hips forward to meet with his. She shuddered at the moist trail his tongue left along her neck as the warmth met with the air conditioned temperature of her apartment. Her fingers grabbed a tight hold of strands of light brown hair that sat on his beautiful head, her mind racing at the simple touch of him. Laughs of approval got stuck in her throat as she felt her clothes begin to slide off her body, one by one.

"Oh yes. Oh, God yes, Leon." She gasped, his teeth gently pulling on her neck.

His mouth made its way up to her ear, nibbling on it gently while his fingers found their way between her legs. She went limp against his body, surprised she could even stand. He wrapped her leg around his waist and reached behind, rubbing her in a way she never had been before him.

She was so lost in the maze of pleasure Leon had thrown her into that she didn't even notice he was naked until she felt his hard manhood against her. She could feel him rubbing against her thigh and felt a wave of pleasure surge through her body as her entire frame rocked.

So close, dear God he was so close to being inside her. She could almost feel it, the sensation of his thick member being inside of her. So close, and then…

Her alarm startled her awake, jerking her out of her double bed with a gasp. She let out a disappointed groan when her mind registered that it was only a dream. Just a beautiful and glorious dream. She lay alone in her bed once again. It was something she had gotten used to, but when waking up from a dream like that, it was a sharp and painful stab of reality that flew at her like a dagger.

She had her share of sex; there was no doubt about it. Men had shared her bed over the years that now seemed all too empty for her liking. But none of them had ever given her the feeling that Leon did. Well, not yet, at least, she corrected herself. Even though the most they had shared was that kiss in Chris and Jill's driveway, sensations she didn't know she could feel became all too real. Sex with any of the guys she had been with in her past couldn't dare to live up to the simple kiss she had shared with the fellow Raccoon City survivor. She smiled as she hit her alarm, her mind racing with thoughts of just how good the sex between the two of them would be, should she ever get to experience it.

She couldn't help but wonder how someone could possibly have the connection with another person like the one she shared with Leon. In her younger years, she had thought she was helplessly in love with another boy. They had essentially planned their whole lives out together, and surprisingly, she was more than content with it. This was all before Raccoon City, of course. Back when the thought of death had never so much as crossed her mind. She had been with him for just over two years, and up until now, she thought that they were the best two years of her life.

The beginning of the relationship was intense. She could remember nights when they had made love over four or five times. But at the halfway mark of their relationship, she found herself losing interest in him physically. The love was still there, but the attraction just wasn't. But he had been such a solid part of her everyday life that she didn't have the heart to end it. Even the thought of him not being there to give her wakeup calls for school was too hard to even imagine. The lack of intimacy proved to be too much, and it wasn't long before what she thought was the love of her life walked out on her. Much like Leon did not so long ago.

But just like that, he had walked back into her life and stirred up feelings within her she thought had gone dormant since her one first love had left her when she was a teenager. She had to admit, after that first relationship fell apart, she had lost all faith in that department. How could you care for someone so much but lose the physical attraction to them? For the longest time she felt guilty about it and blamed herself. And it wasn't long before she found herself falling in a downward spiral.

But here she was, so many years later, the same fateful emotions emerging from deep within her. She could do no more than hope and pray they didn't burn out like they did before. But judging by the way her body reacted to the simple feeling of his lips over hers; she had a good feeling that these amazing feelings weren't going anywhere. Or at least, one could only hope.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"So, what are your thoughts of your buddy doing your little sister?"

The simple question caught Chris completely off guard and nearly caused him to choke on the warm cup of coffee he had just take a huge gulp from. He cocked an eyebrow at the blonde woman seated across the table from him as she smiled. He watched her finger trace the top of her coffee cup before taking a sip and placing it silently down before her.

"What are you talking about?" He asked her, shoving a fork load of bacon into his mouth. He saw the look of disgust on her face and quickly responded. "Hey, don't hate. These muscles need to be fed." He pointed to his biceps. "You see, they're like crops; don't water them, and they'll die. Except in this case, water is bacon, and die means shrivel up and leave little girly arms in its place that will _not_ match my incredible handsomeness." He flashed her an exaggerated smile in his attempt to change the subject.

His attempt proved futile as she pursued her original thought. "So it doesn't bother you, then?"

He put his fork down on his plate and laced his fingers, his elbows resting on the table separating him from his partner. "Jill, as much as I _love _the thought of my little sister having sex, and believe me, do I _ever_, I don't think I have to worry much about Kennedy."

"Why not? Haven't you seen the way they look at each other?" She ignored his wave and continued to try prove her case like she was in court. "I'm telling you Chris, there's something there. Besides, I think she'd be crazy not to do anything about it." She said casually, taking another sip from her coffee mug.

"Oh? Is that so? Why, are you interested in Kennedy?" She'd better not be, or I'll kick his ass back to Washington, Chris told himself.

"No." She answered all too quickly, getting a laugh from the man who sat before her. She stuttered as she tried to brush off the quickness of her answer. "Look, all I'm saying is that if the two of them ever happen to crash here for the night, make sure you lock Leon down in the basement or something. Otherwise, bow chica bow wow in the guest room."

"That's disgusting!" Chris yelled out, playfully throwing a piece of bacon at Jill. She laughed and dodged the greasy meat as it hit the white walls behind her, leaving a trail of grease on its journey to the floor. "My little sister is an innocent virgin who will not touch anyone like that until _after _her wedding. And even then, I will refuse to acknowledge it in any way."

Jill glanced back at the wall and turned to look at Chris. She shook her head and fought against the smile that was growing on her lips. She rolled a napkin into a small ball and tossed it at him, hitting him right between his eyes. "You're cleaning that nasty grease trail up, Redfield."

He shot her a cocked smile, raising his eyebrows. "I love it when you tell me what to do, Valentine."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

What he did the other night wasn't stupid, right? No, he told himself as he threw a clean shirt over his chest. He studied his face in the mirror, his fingers gently tracing over the lump under his eye that was gradually going away. Was it strange that his mind wouldn't stop running over every move he had taken while they were alone in that driveway? He couldn't decide if the constant replay was creepy or endearing. Like he told himself before, he wasn't creepy, so he just reassuring himself that it was endearing and nothing but.

He hadn't really had a chance to talk to her since that night. They had spent a few hours at Chris and Jill's before going their separate ways for the night. And even when they were alone once again in the driveway stained with coffee, neither of them dared to speak of what happened. Leon suddenly felt like he was back in junior high, remembering the awkwardness that came after the first kiss. He hadn't been that jolted by his nerves since then, and he couldn't understand why now and why with her?

Probably because it wasn't just _her_, it was Claire Redfield. It was the beautiful red-haired vixen he had escaped death with. The emotions he found himself facing when he thought of her were unlike anything he had ever felt before. Well, they were unlike anything he had ever felt before _her. _

That short, dark-haired woman in red popped into his mind once again. Ada, Ada Wong. How could he forget her? The mysterious woman in red that he just couldn't seem to figure out. He couldn't believe how fast and how hard he had fallen for her back in Raccoon City. Why did it seem like everything he remembered was from that disaster? Why couldn't he leave it behind him? Why couldn't he bury it six feet under like all the corpses that were destroyed in that hellhole?

What was it about Ada Wong that made her so unforgettable? Maybe it was the extraordinary curves of her body that seemed to be accentuated with that red dress she had on back in Spain. The mystery and raw sexual allure that came off her had torn him between his sanity and the man within him that wanted to grab a hold of her and rip all her clothes off.

His own thoughts startled him, and suddenly he was back to reality, staring hard at his own reflection in the mirror. How could he still have those feelings for her after he had just kissed Claire a few days earlier? That was the difference between the two women that his heart was torn between. Ada was the type of girl that you spend one or two amazing nights with. And Claire was the type that you took out to fancy dinners, and showed off to all your friends. She was girlfriend material. Hell, she had even proven herself to be mother material, a memory that, to this day, brought a smile onto Leon's face. You couldn't begin to compare two women who were on complete opposite ends of the spectrum. And yet, he found himself doing it constantly.

Why couldn't he just focus on the fiery haired goddess that he had shared a beautiful kiss with only a few nights ago? Because he was Leon Kennedy, that's why. And deep down inside, as much as he hated to admit it, a part of his heart still belonged to the woman in red.


	5. All Or Nothing

"Oh my God, I have the greatest idea ever!"

Both Chris and Jill nearly jumped out of their skin as the excited voice pierced the silence they had been basking in. Jill lowered her book and spun her recliner around while Chris opened his eyes, his arm extended on the back of the couch, as his moment of rest and relaxation was clearly over while his sister came barging in through the front door.

"Okay, we have _got_ to start changing these locks." Chris mumbled to Jill as he leaned forward, his fingers intertwining as he rested them his knees.

Jill let out a small laugh before turning her attention to her roommates little sister. She had a huge smile on her face and her chest heaved up and down as she stood in front of the television set. The hair that wasn't tied back in a ponytail lay scattered over her pale skin as she tried to catch her breath.

"Okay, first of all, why are you out of breath? And second of all, what's your idea about?" Jill asked, closing her novel over her bookmark. She sat it down on the coffee table in front of her and tucked her hands comfortably between her legs as she pulled them in below her.

"I ran over here when I thought of it. I think it's a great idea!" Claire got out between gasps for air.

Chris exchanged glances with Jill before speaking. "So…we've never heard of the telephone, now Claire?" Claire shot him an annoyed look. Chris leaned back against the couch, his open palms shooting up into the air to show forfeit. "Okay, okay, forget it. So, what is this great idea that you have that required you to run all the way here and forget about telephones?" He couldn't help it; he had to poke fun at his little sister.

She ignored his stab and pushed stray strands of red hair away from her face. "Camping!" Was all she screamed, her arms reaching out to either side.

Her arms dropped to her sides as a deadly silence greeted her. Her blue eyes darted back and forth between Jill and Chris's faces as she tried to read them. Jill looked like she could be convinced; that was a job that wouldn't even make Claire sweat. But her brother was another story. Actually, maybe not. He just looked really confused. Like, _really _confused. Of course he was, she blurted out one word and expected them to immediately jump on board.

"One of my girlfriends said we could use her cottage for the weekend if we wanted. It's beautiful there, there's a beach nearby and everything. I think it'd be great for all of us to pack up and get away, even just for a weekend! And it's free, so why not?"

"How far is the cottage?" Jill inquired, interested in the idea of going away with the three of her closest friends.

Claire shrugged. "A few hours."

"It's not free if you have to pay for the gas to get there and back." Jill teased, a smile easing over her glossy lips. Why did she always look so damn beautiful, Claire asked herself. Even sitting at home, reading a book, she still looked so elegant and put together that she could probably go clubbing and still catch the eye of every guy in the place. She always made Claire look and feel like a 12 year old boy when they stood next to each other. It was a great feeling, really. Not.

"So, who's this girlfriend of yours?" Chris finally spoke up.

Both women turned to look at the mischievous smile on Chris's face. He was up to something, that's for sure. "Uh, Daniela."

"Oh, Daniela, eh? She wouldn't happen to be going to this little camping trip, would she?"

Jill let out a loud groan and rolled her eyes. Claire watched as Jill stared in a trance out the window, and knew she was biting back the sting of Chris's question. She turned to look at her brother, who was smiling, clearly pleased at Jill's discomfort of the whole situation, and not impressed in the least bit. What was it with these two? Could they _really _not see how much they desperately needed each other? It didn't take much to see that they were made specifically for each other, no question about it. Yet both of them walked around like the other could never be looked at as more than friends. Maybe Claire would just never understand it. After all, they did work together. Business and pleasure did not, and should not mix. Besides, she did not need to picture her brother having sex with a woman who just happened to be a good friend of hers. A shudder ran through her at the thought, catching both Chris and Jill's attention.

"She's not." Claire answered quickly, trying to play off her shudder. "So, what do you guys say? Are you in? Because you should be. I know neither of you have to work anytime soon, so why not take some deserved vacation time? Can't you just picture it, lazy days by the beach, drinking beer by the campfire while roasting marshmallows…doesn't it sound great?"

Already convinced, Jill spoke up as she forced her eyes not to fall back on Chris. "Are you going to be able to take the time off work?"

"It shouldn't be a problem. That's what I love about witnessing, the hours are really flexible. Plus, I've got a few interviews lined up next week for a few hospitals that look really promising, so even if they have a problem with it, I have a few backup plans." She crossed her fingers, her lips still curved upward in a smile that hadn't seem to leave her face since she arrived.

"Well, I'm down. Sounds like it won't be too bad." Claire clapped her hands happily at Jill's answer, and then quickly turned to Chris, anxiously awaiting his.

"Sure. Whatever'll keep that smile on your face, sis." Chris pushed himself off the couch and walked over to his sister, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek before dragging himself up the stairs.

Claire was quick to steal her brother's spot on the couch, plopping down as she reached for the remote as she began channel surfing. Jill reached for her book once again, opening it to the page she left off at only to close it, her eyes focused on Claire.

"So, I take it it's not just the three of us going, is it?"

"What do you mean?" Claire knew exactly what she meant, but insisted on playing dumb as she continued to search the television waves for anything worth watching.

"Is Leon going?"

Claire shrugged casually. "I'm not sure, I haven't asked him yet."

An eyebrow rose as an evil smirk appeared all too quickly on Jill's face. "Oh? Well, why don't you go and ask him then?"

Claire turned the television off and set the remote control down on the glass coffee table before turning to meet Jill's eyes. "You know what, maybe I will."

"Oh, just one thing." Jill began. Claire turned around as she pulled the front door open. Here it comes, some motherly advice from her brother's roommate. It was a good change from Chris's fatherly advice, but still, was found to be more than a little annoying. "Don't tell Chris I told you to go. The next time I get him mad, I'm scared I'm going to be coming home to bacon grease all over my beautiful white walls." She said before diving into her novel once more.

Claire smiled, relieved that she didn't receive a lecture as she headed out to see Leon. If that were Chris, he definitely would not have let her go without putting his two sense in, whether she asked for it or not. See, if Chris and Jill ever did get together, they would even things out perfectly. Jill would no doubt make Chris calm down more when it came to his sister who was a grown woman.

Claire quickly tore herself away from her thoughts of what Chris would be like once he was getting some from Jill and shutting up when she realized she was on her way to see Leon and ask her to spend the weekend with her. Great, let's see how this one works out, she told herself, suddenly hesitant about the whole idea.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Should it have surprised her that Leon wasn't home by the time she got to his place? Not really. Although she had to admit, she was a little disappointed that he had a life outside of her, Jill and Chris. Claire had always pictured him just sitting around the house, dragging his feet heavily over his carpet, waiting for her to come and save him from the inevitable boredom. After being gone for so damn long, what the hell did he honestly have to do all of a sudden? Oh, damn. That's what.

She watched as he rounded the busy corner of his block, and felt her heart nearly stop beating in her chest. His face was buried under the rim of his baseball hat as he jogged the remaining way to his place. His muscles were flexed, revealing the incredible definition that had once been scrawny and something that even Claire thought she could overpower. There was no overpowering _that, _she found her mind pointing out. His white wife beater clung tightly to his chest and abdomen, leaving nothing for her imagination. Even the loose, long shorts he wore seemed to reveal the muscles of his calves just perfectly. This was definitely not the poor excuse for a man she had first met back in Raccoon City. Oh no, this was a full grown, well defined man who had a body that could kill a girl with just once glance.

He smiled, waving at her as he approached. God damnit Claire, whip that damn drool off your face, she cursed, returning the acknowledgement as she stood up. She dusted herself off from his stairs as he pulled his headphones out of his ears.

"Hey Claire." He greeted, placing his hand on her lower back. He escorted her to the front door of his house, his key already in his hand. "Sorry, I didn't know you were waiting for me. I would've came back a lot faster if I had known." He flashed her a quick smile as he closed the door behind them. "What's up?"

She answered with a squint of her eyes. Something was wrong; she could see it written all over his face. Okay, so she hadn't seen him in ages. But she still considered him to be one of her closest friends, and from past experiences, she knew that he went out for runs whenever he was stressed about something. She just had to get it out of him.

"What's wrong?" She asked, following him into the kitchen. She watched his body language carefully as he closed the fridge door, cracking open a new water bottle before taking a deep gulp of the cold water.

"Nothing's wrong. What are you talking about?" He leaned against the counter of his sink, one hand firmly holding onto the water bottle as the other gripped the end of the countertop.

"Leon Kennedy, I know that when you're upset about something or when something's on your mind you go for runs." She continued, ignoring his scoff. "I also know how you despise running in the middle of the day when there are so many people walking around and getting in your way. Not to mention the horrible smog that comes with living in the city. So what's going on?"

He didn't have it in him to say what he knew he needed to. Sorry Claire, I really am in love with you, but I also have this incredible urge inside of me to bang some other chick who I haven't been able to let go of since Raccoon City. Hell, why don't we make it a memorable moment for all of us, and I can toss you into the mix too? Yeah, every girl definitely wanted to hear those words. Especially coming from someone she had just shared the most amazing kiss in the world with. Well, it was that amazing for him, but from her reaction and the way her fingers dug into him, it didn't leave him questioning much of her reaction.

"Leon, come on, tell me. I'm your friend, aren't I?"

He looked up, staring into those heavenly pools of clear blue that sucked his soul in. Yeah, you're my _friend_. Why in the hell can't you be more than that?

"Leon."

"I just…keep thinking about Raccoon City." He paused for a minute, bracing himself for what he was about to throw at her. "And about what happened in Spain. About what popped up in both places."

"What, zombies? I thought you said they weren't like the zombies from Raccoon City." Claire tilted her head to the side, trying desperately to understand what he was telling her.

"Ada."

The comfort and understanding that had been on her face had now completely disappeared from view. Her mouth fell open just slightly, as if she was about to speak. But no words came out. She could feel a twisting deep in her stomach at the mention of the other woman's name. Never in her life, had such a strong taste of distant and hatred flow through her body than when that bitch's name was brought up. The only thing that ever stood in the way of her being with Leon was that _thing, _Ada.

Unimpressed, Claire crossed her arms over her chest. "Didn't she like, try to kill you back then or something? How are you still thinking about her?"

"She helped me a lot in Spain. I don't know what you want me to say, Claire."

"She helped you in Spain? Oh, I'll bet she _helped _you in Spain." Claire scoffed.

He knew he should have kept his mouth shut. "What? Claire, come on, it wasn't like that. Besides, even if it was, it's not like we're dating, why should it matter?" He wished he could take back the words the minute they rolled off his tongue. The look on her face suddenly made him wish he had a firearm in reach. She was definitely going to tear him a new one.

"Excuse me? I know we're not dating; I'm not an idiot, but thank you, Leon. So what the hell was that the other night then? You just go around kissing girls every chance you get? Jesus, who else have you made out with in the past 48 hours? I bet you probably screwed the President's daughter while you were at it too, huh?"

If only she knew the truth about the last part. "Claire, I don't go around kissing every woman I meet, okay? I don't know what you want me to say. You wanted me to tell you what was on my mind, I did, so why are you mad at me? If I had known it was going to end up like this, I wouldn't just lied."

Claire fought back the tears and could only shake her head. She took in a deep breath, ensuring that there was no quivering in her voice before she spoke once again. "I just came over to invite you to a camping trip we were planning on taking this weekend. But forget it, I guess, since your precious little Ada won't be there."

He could hear the distant and disgust in her voice when she spoke the other woman's name. He reached out for her to comfort her and assure her that she meant more to him than anyone else, but she was gone before he could say a word. He let out a defeated sigh, and turned around. He rested his water bottle on the counter and leaned against it, his eyes staring out into the clear sky from beyond the kitchen window. He just couldn't win. Either way, no matter what woman he wanted to chose, he would end up alone.

"Story of my life."


	6. Clothes Off

**Thank you once again to everyone who is leaving reviews.**

**Sorry for this chapter being a little longer than usual...but I think you'll find it well worth the extra pages. **

**Enjoy!**

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The car ride to the cottage was a little more silent than either of the three would have preferred. Both of Chris' hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as he exchanged uncomfortable glances between the road in front of him and Jill, who sat silently beside him. She tapped her fingers on her legs, biting her bottom lip as she shifted in the tension filled car. She finally glanced back, flashing Claire a warm smile.

"You alright back there? You seem really quiet tonight. You didn't get in trouble for taking a weekend off work, did you?"

Claire tore her eyes away from the darkness on the other side of the window and looked at Jill. Her hand supported her head as her elbow leaned against the side of the car. "No, I just told them that my Aunt died and I had to leave town for the funeral."

Jill's mouth fell open as Chris's eyes darted to the rearview mirror. He narrowed his eyes and shook his head as Claire turned to look into the darkness once again. "Claire, that is not nice. You shouldn't say things like that." He told her firmly.

"What? Chris, we don't even have an Aunt, so it's not like I'm wishing it on anyone. Just be happy I didn't say it was my brother's funeral."

"What? Claire-" Chris began to protest but was quickly cut off by Jill.

"Children, children, please, let's not fight. The most important thing is that we're altogether, right? Remember, this is supposed to be a nice _relaxing _weekend, so let's try to keep it that way." She was greeted by a silence, which now, she realized was more welcome than the sibling squabbling. She turned back around and began to fumble with the selection of radio stations.

"We're not _all _together." Claire mumbled under her breath, studying her reflection in the window. She wasn't that bad looking, was she? What was it about that bitch's short dark hair that was so much better than Claire's fiery strands? Maybe it was because that bitch seemed to like to wear tight fitting dresses, she wondered. Leon had told her about the unusual attire she had chosen to wear in Spain, and remembered the disgust when she had heard it, and even now when she was going over it once again. What type of woman goes knowingly into situations like that with a slutty dress and high heels? Well, that bitch does, that's who. She'd probably never be caught dead with her hair tied up in jeans and a t-shirt, a look that Claire was known for. And that was why Leon liked her better.

"Well, this is going to be a fantastic weekend." Claire said in a whisper.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Claire would have liked to get there a little earlier, so they would have an extra day or so to spend at the cottage, but getting off at 7:30 was the earliest she could swing at the restaurant. So she took her blessing and accepted the fact that they were arriving at the cottage just after 10. They stopped dead in their tracks the moment they emerged from inside the car. It was beautiful, absolutely breathtaking. If they didn't know better, they'd swear it was a house that just happened to be on the beach. It was stood two stories off the ground and there was a thick coat of a beautiful light grey painted over the planes. They were in awe at the huge window panes that replaced the wall facing the lake. Claire couldn't wait for sunrise so she could sit in the living room and watch the sun peak over the horizon, the sky filled with pink as the soft light filled the whole house. It was more beautiful than any of them could have ever imagined.

"Um, how much money does your friend have?" Chris asked as he pulled bags out from the trunk of his car.

"Apparently, a lot."

"Well come on, we'd better get inside, otherwise we're going to be eaten alive by bugs." Jill said, grabbing a hold of the remaining bags before walking over to the front door.

It was just as beautiful inside. Fully furnished, the walls were painted a light yellow colour that would no doubt brighten up the whole room once some sunlight found its way in via the wall of windows. Chris and Jill sat the bags down on the floor, closing and locking the door behind them as they looked around the room with smiles on their faces.

"Well, I'm pretty tired. It was a long day at work today. I think I'm just gonna go upstairs, unpack and hit the sack. I think she said there's four bedrooms in here, so you guys should be fine. Or you can share one, you know, whatever works." Claire shrugged as she grabbed her bag and headed upstairs.

"What the hell is wrong with her? I thought she was excited for this weekend." Chris asked Jill in a hushed voice as they made their way into the kitchen. Of course, it didn't take long for him to start rummaging through the fully stocked fridge.

Jill leaned against the counter, her arms crossed over her chest. That pose always seemed to bother Chris. Probably because he felt it was such a shame to hide such a beautiful part of her body behind those slender arms. The only good thing about when she stood like that was that it was one less time she could catch him sneaking a quick glimpse of her chest.

"Are you seriously asking me that question, Chris? What do you think is wrong with her? Who's missing from this picture?"

Chris stood straight, taking a bite out of the apple in his hand as he tossed one over to his partner. "What, Leon?"

"Bingo."

"So what, she's going to be sulking all weekend because Kennedy couldn't make it? Cause I gotta tell you," Chris's eyes shifted around the room as he lowered his voice. "I don't think I feel safe being in a secluded area with Claire in one of her moods."

"Chris." A smile was on her face though she said his name sternly.

"I'm serious. You know how crazy us Redfield's can get. Sleep with one eye open, Jill."

"Don't worry, I will. I've learned to sleep that way ever since I moved in with you."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

She wanted to call him. Not to apologize for the way she stormed off the other day, or to beg him to come and spend the weekend with them, but to verbally kick his ass. How dare he ruin something she had been so excited about? Really, who was he to bring that _bitch_ up from nowhere like that?

"Oh yeah, I'm just gonna make out with you Claire. No worries though, I'm not looking for anything other than a kiss and maybe a fuck, because I'm still in love with that stupid _bitch_."

If there was such a thing as God, he would be merciful enough to give Claire and Ada a chance to run into each other. Just once, that's all she wanted. One encounter would be all it would take for Claire to send her running back to wherever the hell she came from. She hated to be _that _girl, but it seemed to be the way the cards fell. Jealousy had never really been much of an issue for Claire, but since meeting Leon, it seemed to become a way of life.

Claire shrugged it off as she jumped onto her bed, her arms behind her head as she leaned back against the head post. All she needed was a good night's sleep, and tomorrow, all these Leon problems would seem childish. There was no way she was going to let him ruin her weekend.

A knock at the door startled her as it broke the silence of her room. She opened her eyes, crossing her legs under her as she sat up.

"Yeah?"

The door opened slightly, Jill's head emerging from the other side. She smiled. "Is it okay if I come in?"

"Sure. Did you want this room? Cause, I can always go down the-"

"No, Claire, don't worry. I just came to actually talk to you, that's all." Jill told her in a quiet voice as she closed the door and moved over to the bed. She took a seat on the edge of the bed, her soft blue eyes focused on the distraught girl who sat in front of her. "What's going on with you? You don't seem to be in the best mood." She was answered with a shrug. Somehow, she had been anticipating that very answer. "Come on, Claire. Chris isn't here, and he isn't going to hear about this conversation, so just be honest with me. You were so excited about this weekend…is it because Leon didn't come?" Another shrug. "Claire?"

That was all the pushing it took before everything she had been holding in over the past few days spilled out.

"I just don't understand him. One night, he kisses me in a way I've never been kissed before, and then a few days later he tells me that he's in love with someone else."

A huge smile grew on Jill's face when she realized she was getting somewhere. "Wait, he kissed you?" Claire nodded, her head hung low as if ashamed. "When?"

"The night we went to the bar. He was waiting for me to get to your place. He was just waiting in the driveway for me. And then he kissed me." Her fingers fumbled with the fabric of her bed sheets, her eyes not daring to look up into the face of Jill, though she couldn't understand why.

"Who is he in love with?"

"This stupid bitch he met in Raccoon City. He thought she died there, but apparently she's alive and well. Working against us too, might I add. She was with him in Spain; he said she 'helped him'." Claire scoffed.

"You know what I think you need to do, Claire? I think you need to help him forget about this other chick. I see the way he looks at you. I see the fire in his eyes. I _know _that you're the one for him. You need to remind him that you're better than her and that he'd better stop acting like a kid and grab a hold of you before someone else does."

"Does he look at me the way my brother looks at you?"

Silence filled the room once again. The simple question caught Jill off guard. For once, she didn't know what to say.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Hey, Kennedy, what's up?" Chris continued to channel surf while he spoke into his phone. Was there really nothing interesting on on a Friday night?

"Hey. Uhh, nothing. What are you doing?"

"I'm at the cottage that you were supposed to be at. It's a beauty man; you don't know what you're missing. I think you should get over here though, cause Claire's in one hell of a fowl mood, and I think you know all too well why."

Was that a hint of annoyance in his voice? "Is she really upset?"

"She's pissed, dude. Jill's up there right now trying to calm her down, but I think you'd better get your ass over here and clean up your mess. I'm not really a fan of what you're doing to my little sister."

Alright, that was definitely annoyance in his voice. He hadn't meant to upset her. He thought being upfront about their situation and honest would be better than stringing her along. Apparently not. God, women were confusing as hell. "No worries, Chris. I'm pulling up right now."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Although at first Claire had wanted to be simply left alone, she had to admit, she was grateful that Jill had come up to talk. She needed to get everything out and hear someone else's opinion on the situation at hand. And Jill was right. He hadn't gone off with that stupid bitch. Instead, he came back to Claire. He hadn't gone to the other side, and knowing him, he would do anything within his power to stay as far away from the darkness as he could. In the end, he came back to the light. He came back to Claire.

Claire accepted the fact that, no matter how much she wanted more, she and Leon may never be anything but best friends. She pulled the bed sheets over her shoulder as she lay in the dark on her side. A cool breeze flew in through the open window, blowing the drapes out slightly. Her eyes were fixated on the countless amount of stars that were hanging in the clear sky above. She smiled to herself at the sight of so many beautiful bright lights in such a clear sky. It was a miracle to see stars in the polluted and smoggy city she had grown to love, so coming out to the countryside and seeing so many of them was a treat she loved.

A crack of light suddenly lit up the room from behind her. A small gasp escaped her lips as she spun around to see who was walking into her room without watching. Instinctively, she reached for a small pocket blade that she left on the nightstand beside her bed. Her nerves began to settle as she saw his figure make his way into her room. She couldn't exactly see his face, but she immediately recognized the way his light brown hair fell over her face. Her fingers let go of the small knife as he closed the door silently behind him.

"Leon, I thought you weren't coming."

She watched his shadow as he made his way towards her in the dark. Without saying a word to her, he slipped his thin jacket off his broad shoulders. It let out a thump as it hid the carpeted ground below. She sat up in her bed, her bed sheets falling onto her lap, revealing the thin tank top she had thrown on to sleep in. Still in silence, Leon climbed onto her bed, kneeling down beside her, his face hovering only inches over hers. She was speechless, her throat closing in quickly on her, as he cupped her face in his strong hands.

"I'm sorry." He whispered to her before taking her lips with his own. He didn't wait for her to speak and he kept her face close to his with his hands. He finally realized what they had both subconsciously known since meeting in Raccoon City, he needed her. He needed her, and he was going to do whatever it took to make her realize that he finally understood the hunger for her that was deep within him.

Blindingly, her fingers fumbled for the thin sheets that were covering her, tossing them to the side so nothing but their clothes could be between them. Butterflies fought with one another viciously in her stomach as she felt his warm tongue scrap against her teeth. A shudder ran through her as his tongue claimed every inch of her mouth as its own. She felt him shift, and mount her as she lay back underneath him. He kissed her roughly as he engulfed her hands with his own. He threw them up over her head, pinning them down with one hand while the other roamed the small body underneath him.

He felt his manhood becoming harder as he touched the body he had always dreamt about. He could feel her body shiver as his fingers trailed down from her chest to her waist and then her thighs. He wanted to tear her shorts off and take her right there, but his body ached for every second of bliss that he had forbid himself from indulging in all these years. He wanted to explore every inch of her body; he wanted to taste everything she had to offer and more. And he wasn't going to stop until she begged him to take her then and there. Every other woman that came before Claire was just practice. She was the only one he wanted to please, and so help him God, by the end of the night, she was going to have him screaming his name.

He finally pulled himself away from her beautiful lips to give him enough time to whisper to her as he slowly let go of her wrists. "If you as much as move your hands, you're going to be really sorry."

His voice, so low and serious, sent a million shivers down her spine. A smile spread over her lips as her eyes closed at his touch. Her back arched as his fingers lifted the bottom of her thin tank top, his tongue running over the smooth skin below. Slowly and steadily, he slid the shirt up past her chest, revealing her perfect breasts that were just begging for his touch. He slid it over her head, his mouth lingering over her nipple just close enough so she could feel his breath. He felt her shiver as he tossed the shirt onto the floor. He hungrily took one of her nipples into her mouth while his hand anxiously rubbed the other. Moans escaped her lips as her body shook from his touch. He swirled her nipple with his tongue, going back and forth between licks and sucks that had her whole body about ready to shut down.

She couldn't believe what she was feeling. She was at a loss of how to react from every sensation that he was sending through her body. She could feel his hardness rub against her while he played with her breasts. Her brain stopped sending out waves to her body as he worked his hands, tongue and manhood on her helpless body. The electricity he sent throughout her body was too much for her to take already, and she had yet to feel the surge of him being inside of her. If she was standing, her knees would have given out on her a long time ago.

His lips curved into a smile against her nipple, his ears satisfied with all the moans that were coming from her beautiful, long throat. His lips found their way to the center of her chest, his hands trailing down from her breasts to her perfectly flat stomach. His tongue left a warm trail across her skin as his fingers tugged at the elastic waist of her tiny shorts.

"Lift your ass up." He ordered, his lips breaking away from her lower stomach only for the second it took to tell her what to do.

Without objecting, she lifted her hips off the bed. She could feel the thin material slowly, slowly trail down her legs, his lips and tongue following. He let them rest on the mattress below them as he crawled back up towards the center of her body. She looked down as he grabbed a hold of her hips, jerking them towards him, her hands resting helplessly on top of her head. She could make out a smirk on his face as he soon disappeared between her thighs, pulling them over her shoulders. Her body jerked from the warmness of his tongue as it ran up her lips with a slow speed. She bit her bottom lip, trying to restrain herself from crying out his name at the top of her lungs. She was feeling pleasure no man could have ever even dreamt of giving her.

She tasted sweeter than he had thought she would. He had only dreamt about tasting Claire Redfield like this. He couldn't stop eating her while his manhood throbbed violently underneath him. He finally tore his lips away from hers, his thumb taking over as it rubbed circles around her clit. He watched her as her body jerked and as moans filled the cool air around them while he rubbed her. Unable to resist the taste of her, he brought his lips and tongue back to the center of Claire while his thumb continued to rub her most sensitive part. He pushed his tongue into her, swirling it around like he had just previously done with her beautiful nipple. His spare hand reached up to grab her breast while his thumb and tongue worked ferociously on her.

"Leon…" She panted, over and over again as her fingers dug into his hair, pulling him closer into her.

He moaned against her lips, what sounded like a nuh uh, sending vibrations throughout her body that pushed out another moan from her. His fingers rolled her nipple between them as he reluctantly pulled his mouth away from her moisture. Damnit, why did she have to move her hands?

"What did I tell you, Claire? Don't move your hands. You asked for it." He said, grinding his teeth together as he sat up.

She followed his motion, getting onto her knees as her lips met with his once more, her fingertips dragging over his skin as she pulled his wife beater over his head. God, how she loved when he wore wife beaters. They covered just enough of his perfectly sculpted body, and not an inch too much. Her fingers traced over his washboard abs as he unhooked his belt, pulling it out from the hoops of his pants. She licked her lips, her body still flushed and aching for more, as a crooked smile spread across his lips, his fingers slowly pulling his zipper down.

"Faster." She found herself whispered, her eyes glued to his manhood as it bulged out from underneath his pant.

A chuckle escaped his lips as he slid his pants off, only his boxers still in the way between them.

"You're too slow, Kennedy." Claire told him, reaching out as she yanked down his boxers. Her heart nearly stopped when she finally saw the one part of Leon Kennedy she had been begging to feel inside of her for far too long. She watched his steady hands as he stroked it, slowly edging up his shaft in a teasing motion.

"So, do you like being on your knees?" He asked her in a low voice.

She could do no more than look up at him, a mischievous smile on her face. She had pictured them having sex countless times before, but never had she imagined it would be so passionate. And never would she have pictured him to be so willing and dirty. Listening to the few words he spoke made her shiver violently. He grabbed a hold of her hips and spun her around so her round buttocks was facing him. His hand made contact with her cheek as he edged towards her, still holding himself up on his knees. He stopped worrying about being too rough with her when he heard another moan slip past her throat and through her lips. He bent down over her, his manhood pressed against her opening as he whispered into her ear.

"I told you not to move." Was all he said before his back straightened over her. He grabbed a steady hold of her hips and felt her reach back to grab a hold of his head. A shudder ran through him at her touch, and his whole body nearly collapsed as he felt her pull him inside of her. He gritted his teeth as a groan found their way through them. He could feel her closing in on him as his fingers dug into her hips, thrusting himself as far as she could take him.

She propped her upper body up on the headboard she had been resting against only a short while ago. Her fingers dug into the wood as he pumped himself into her, dragging slowly over every inch of warm moisture that she had to offer him. He reached around, his fingers rubbing her clit as her hands rose to rest against the wall in front of her. His mouth closed over her earlobe, his teeth clenching gently over it while his tongue ran across her soft skin. The groans in her ears at every thrust he took into her had her panting and moaning as she called out his name in barely more than a whisper.

"Oh Leon, oh my God Leon. You're gonna make me-"

She was cut off as he thrust himself harder and deeper into her. He could feel himself on the brink of loosing himself inside of her, but he ground his teeth together firmly, intend on only satisfying himself after she had. He grabbed a fistful of that beautiful red hair as he pulled her head back, exposing her neck to him. Like a fiending vampire, his mouth feverishly tasted the sweat as it poured down her skin, her throat vibrating from the moans that were stuck in place there.

"Leon, Leon, I'm…" Her words disappeared into the thin air that surrounded them.

He felt her buckle below him, her fingers curving inward against the wallpaper as she shut her eyes. He could feel her closing in on him tighter than before, and finally allowed his body to win. He pushed himself as far into her as he could before letting himself go inside of her. The warmness he let loose inside of her only prolonged her orgasm as her body rocked violently against his like an aftershock of an earthquake.

No wet dream could have prepared either of them for the intensity that had just shared. Both of them collapsed onto the bed below, gasping and panting for air. Leon lay on his back, his piercing eyes staring up into the crevices of the ceiling as his chest heaved up and down. After a few moments of laying in silence on her back, Claire dragged her thin sheets up over her chest, the ends of the blanket just covering Leon's manhood. Her eyes trailed their way up the curves of his abdomen as she turned on her side, her eyes suddenly wide with worry.

"God, I hope Chris and Jill are downstairs watching TV really loud, or something."


	7. Honest Mistake

**I just wanted to apologize for taking so long to get this chapter up!**

**I hope everyone enjoys it, and please remember to leave a review!**

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He remembered all those times in high school when normally grumpy teachers would walk into the classroom with that extra bounce in their step and unusually big smiles on their faces. He could still hear all his friends whispering around him. _Looks like someone got laid last night_. As he made his way down the stairs and towards the kitchen, Leon finally understood why those men always had those foolish smiles on their faces the morning after. Especially since, in both their cases and his, there had no doubt been far too much of a gap in between female encounters.

After the Raccoon City incident, Leon was noticed by the U.S. Government, and it wasn't long before he was recruited into its ranks. Even before he worked for the Government, Leon's life revolved solely around work. Dating wasn't something that he thought of as a priority, though it did come with its perks, like the one he had the pleasure of experiencing the night before. He was a man and had needs like any other; no doubt about it, but the safety and wellbeing of countless innocent people always seemed to surpass the needs of his own. That didn't mean to say that he avoided female contact altogether. On more than one occasion, Leon found himself in bed with a random girl he had met only a few hours earlier in the darkness of some bar. Of course, that's about as far as it went with those girls, because he was always quick to leave soon after the deed was done.

Not with Claire, though. She was different than all those girls. After a few drinks, Claire Redfield wouldn't give up and stumble into a stranger's bed as willingly as those before her. She's the type that would fight through undead horrors, barely escaping death countless times, and then still somehow manage to resist throwing herself at you in a desperate attempt to feel alive amongst all the death. Though now looking back at it, he almost wished that she had. Definitely would've made the whole experience a lot better. There was a huge difference between all those girls and the one that lay upstairs waiting for him; he respected her. He cherished every moment he had with her, because he was all too familiar with how fast they can be swept out from underneath you.

Leon was so caught up in his own thoughts as he fumbled to prepare coffee for the house that he didn't pick up the presence of another person looming behind him.

"So, I noticed you didn't go to your room last night."

Leon pulled his head out of the fridge, the bag of ground beans in his hand as he closed the door and proceeded to make the coffee. He glanced back at Chris, who was leaning against the kitchen doorway, his arms crossed over his chest. Leon turned back to the coffee machine and finished preparing it. God, those arms were going to be the death of him.

"Did you go to yours?"

"This isn't about me, Leon. You spent the night in my little sister's room."

Leon turned around and wasn't surprised to see Chris standing a lot closer to him than he was only a few moments earlier. He leaned back against the counter, his hands resting over the edge as he held his ground over the towering Redfield.

"She's a grown woman, Chris. She's not the 19 year old girl you remember her as."

"I know that. I understand that she's…" Chris cringed. "Having sex. That's not my main concern. My main concern is that you think you can just keep prancing into her life, spin her around, and then leave and be MIA for years. What are you going to do once you have to go back to work? Have you even thought about that?"

"I haven't…" What was he going to do? God, how he wanted nothing more than to lead a normal life for a change. How great would it be to have a normal 9-5 job? It would probably be as great as waking up next to Claire every morning. It would be the greatest feeling a man like him could ever hope for. Unfortunately, it was a feeling he had come to accept he may never truly get to experience.

Chris calmed his nerves when he saw the hurt on Leon's face. He knew that Leon wanted nothing more than to be with Claire, but he also knew that fate was a bitch, and no doubt had more cards up her sleeve for the four of them. "You don't have to pick up the pieces you leave behind, Leon. Jill and I do, and quite frankly, we're a little sick of it."

Leon paused for a moment, dozens of questions running through his mind at the same time, each and every one of them revolving around Claire. "Tell me, does she date when I'm gone?"

Chris nodded, walking over to the kitchen table and pulling out a chair. "Of course she does. She's not the type to sit around and wait for someone to return whenever they feel like it. She's replaced you many times over the years."

"Then she'll have no problem replacing me again when I leave."

"Last I heard from you, you were what, protecting the President's family, right?" Leon nodded, answering Chris's question without saying a word. "Why don't you protect your family, Leon."

"I don't have-"

"We're your family. Protect the one person who needs you more than your country ever will." He didn't know what else to say to the younger man. He couldn't tie him up and make him lead a life he didn't want to. He only wanted the best for his little sister, and he was beginning to think that maybe Leon wasn't the best thing for her.

Both of them knew that, if it came down to it, they would rather sacrifice their lives than let Claire so much as shed a single tear. Unfortunately, both of them also knew that Leon's time here was slowly but surely drawing to an end, and there was no way of knowing when he would be back again. Chris could only hope that his little sister would understand that Leon would no doubt have to leave her behind once more, something he did all too well.

"Do you know when you're leaving again?"

Leon shrugged, his eyes darting back and forth between the coffee machine and Chris. Almost done. Then he could go upstairs, where he felt like his life wasn't in danger at the hands of the Redfield.

"I'm sure they'll be fine without me for a while. It should be over for now." Leon's face suddenly went pale, catching Chris' attention. He slipped up, something Claire had predicted at the bar on his first night back. Damnit, she knew him all too well.

"What should be over?" Leon ignored his question and pulled two coffee cups out of the cupboard overhead, pouring the hot coffee into the ceramic cups. "Kennedy, what aren't you telling me? What the hell happened in Spain?"

Leon let out a defeated sigh. He wanted to protect his friend from the images and horror that came with learning about the events that unfolded in Spain, but he knew that telling him was the best bet to finally put an end to it all. If anyone could do anything about it, it was Chris Redfield, proud member of the BSAA. Even if it was just his thoughts on the whole situation, Chris could bring a new perspective to it and maybe even shed some light on a plan to end it once and for all.

"There's a new virus. It's a lot different than the ones we've seen in the past. A lot stronger." Leon kept his back turned to Chris, his head hung as if ashamed of what he was saying.

"What? Why the hell didn't you tell me about this sooner?" Chris nearly yelled, jumping up from his chair at the kitchen table. His fist slammed against the table so hard, the whole house practically shook. It was a miracle he didn't wake Jill or Claire with his anger, let alone break the damn table.

"I promised Claire-"

"You told my little sister but not me? You failed to mention something this big to someone who works for BSAA? What the hell is wrong with you?"

Leon spun around and looked into the face of the furious man who stood before him. "Claire wanted us to have a normal life for a change, even just for a few weeks. She was going to tell you once I went back to work. She just wanted a few weeks of what a normal life might be like. No talk about zombies, viruses, nothing. Just four friends enjoying life." He paused, his voice lowered to a whisper. "That's all she's ever wanted, Chris."

"As long as people are still roaming this Earth, she'll never have a chance at a normal life. Evil will always be here, and people will always walk around thinking they're God. It's our job to take 'em down a notch and let them know that they're not. It'll never really be over, Leon."

"For once, I hope to God you're wrong." Leon shook his head.

Chris forced a smile and cocked his head towards the cups of coffee Leon had poured moments earlier. "You'd better get that upstairs. Claire isn't the nicest person in the morning if she doesn't get her coffee."

Leon chuckled, picking up the steaming cups as he made his way past Chris. He paused for a moment as he passed him, glancing back for only a second before heading to the staircase.

"I care about your sister a lot, Chris. If I could have it my way, I never would've left her in the first place."

Jill came down the stairs as Leon ran up. Chris laughed, his arms crossed over his chest as she scolded him for nearly knocking into her with steaming hot coffee. He had to bring himself back to reality when he found his mind drifting into the dream he was often consumed in. They would never be normal, never have normal lives. Umbrella and all that came after had already ruined their chances of having anything close to that. But every now and then, especially when Leon was home from work, Chris caught moments where anyone from the outside would believe they bore no scars from the past.

He watched Jill finished descending the stairs and walk over to him, a huge grin on her face. He tried not to look at the short blue cotton shorts she had on, but the man inside of him wasn't planning on letting him off that easily. His eyes trailed up her milky white skin, his fingers aching to reach out and touch the softness that he knew would cover Jill's body. But the friend inside of him knew he would get a serious ass kicking if he so much as even tried. Two good friends and partners stuck being forever that. Maybe they were normal after all.

"There may be a problem. I think we should call HQ."

Maybe not.


	8. Moments

**I would just like to say thank you to everyone who is leaving reviews for this story.**

** And thank you to those who are also standing up for this story. It really means a lot. This one is for you guys!**

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Jill Valentine loved her job more than anything. If the opportunity knocked, she would give her life to protect those she loved and the world that they lived on without even so much as a second thought. There was no doubt in her mind about sacrificing herself for what she believed in. The endless hours of a single job was something that she had eventually gotten used to. She had come to savor every day off she had with her partner, Chris Redfield, because she knew how fast they could be called in for another job. Then days, weeks, months, hell, even years, could go by before she got a single day to herself. Unfortunately, it suddenly looked as if their time of carefree laughs and priceless memories were drawing to an indefinite end.

Reality had come out from behind the beautiful dream she had been in living the past week. You would think that by now she would have gotten used to the fact that at any moment she would have to disappear and go on a job. Somehow though, it never seemed to get easier for her. Especially when Leon was home and completed the small circle of survivors that, over the years, had become family. She was beginning to think leaving her normal life behind would never get easier. All she could do is grit her teeth and make it through whatever fate was planning to throw in her way.

She let out a small sigh, pulling her slender legs in underneath her as she leaned back in her chair. She held onto her cup of coffee tightly, as if desperate to cling onto everything that was waiting inside the cabin behind her. Her clear blue eyes ran across the beautiful and mysterious body of water that stretched endlessly in front of her. It seemed to sparkle like beautiful diamonds as rays of sunlight reflected off the sapphire blue blanket.

She glanced back when she heard the door quietly slide shut. She flashed Chris a smile as he approached her with a blanket and his own cup of coffee in each hand.

"I thought you might get cold out here. It's a little chilly this morning." He said as he stopped at her chair. He rested his ceramic cup on one of her armrests while he softly laid the blanket over Jill's lower body.

"Thanks." She watched him as he picked up his coffee and leaned his hip against the back of her chair. She followed his eyes to the water that she was watching in silence only moments before.

After he warned her what Leon had run into in Spain, she had stood in disbelief with him in the kitchen. She remembered the anger on his face when he opened his phone and called HQ to inform them on the new information he had learned, if they weren't already aware. She had left Chris alone in the kitchen during his phone call, annoyed at the news. It was beginning to seem like this would actually never end. If it wasn't Wesker, it was someone else on a major power trip. Someone would always stand the ground of the evil that had fallen before them. And the four of them would continue to stand theirs against the darkness that threatened everything they lived for. Couldn't someone else stand in for them for a change? Why was it their weight to bear on their shoulders alone?

"So how much longer do we have?" The question had been on her tongue for far too long. She couldn't bear to suppress it any longer.

"I wouldn't say more than a few days. They just have to get some more information and then we'll be off."

Jill nodded, her eyes still focused on the beautiful and peaceful lake in front of her. She could feel his eyes on her and did her best to pretend she didn't. "What are you going to tell Claire?"

"I don't think I'm going to tell her anything."

In disbelief at what he had just said, she turned around to look at him. It was no surprise that his eyes were already there waiting to meet hers. "What do you mean you're not going to tell her? Why not? Chris, you _have_ to tell her."

"Leon said she wants to live a normal life, and she has been for the last few years. I'm not about to change that and ruin it all for her. I can't do that, Jill."

"Chris, what if something happens? She'll never know the truth. You can't do that to her. I think that's worse than you leaving in the first place."

"Just don't worry about it, alright Jill? I'll take care of everything." He assured her, a small smile on his thin lips as he rested a hand on her shoulder. But he could see the sadness that lurked in her eyes, and the pain that was soon to follow. He watched her turn away before he could read anymore into her eyes, and focused on the water once again.

"How many more of these can we actually survive?" Her voice was low and filled with emotions Chris never thought she had. "How many more times can we seriously outrun death before it catches up to us?" She was torn between the life she was given and the life she longed for. She understood all too well about the dilemma that Leon seemed to always have unfold before him. Before Umbrella, when she thought of her future, she had always pictured herself married with children at this age. It was a goal she knew she would never reach. Evil would never let her.

"Jill…" Chris said in a whisper, placing his cup down on the ground. He sat on the armrest closest to him and wrapped his arms around Jill, bringing her body close to his. She set her coffee down and wrapped her arms around his waist, taking a deep breath in an effort to push back any tears that were planning on making an unwanted appearance. "Jill, trust me when I say that I will _never _let anything happen to you because…you're my best friend." No, because I love you.

It was as if he could read her thoughts. The moment those three words ran through his head, she pulled back and looked up at him. The world around them seemed to melt away. All the troubles that plagued their mind, and all the worry and terror that were slowly eating away at their sanity no longer seemed to matter. She felt the warm touch of his hand on her cheek. The mere touch alone sent a quiver to the deepest part of her stomach, rocking her body with an icy chill. She leaned her head up, her lips anxious to take his, as he bent his head down.

Her lips were nothing like he had always imaged them to be. They exceeded his expectations in every way imaginable. They were perfect. The fact that he was kissing Jill sent waves of warmth circling his body while he slipped his tongue past her soft, pink lips. He smiled against her lips as a moan escaped her throat. He ran his spare hand through the golden locks, his hand pulling her head closer to him. He wanted to explore every inch of her mouth, a desperate need that he had suppressed for far too many years.

This was here; this was Jill Valentine, in all her glory. And for now, even if it were just for a moment, she was his and only his.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Leon smiled to himself as he leaned against the windowsill in Claire's bedroom. He took a sip from his coffee and made a mental note of delivering a well deserved congratulatory punch to Chris.

"Creeper, much?"

Leon looked beside him and flashed Claire a smile. Leaning on her arms, she watched her brother and Jill share an embrace by the water. Finally, she smiled to herself.

"So this is what you do, just stand here and watch my brother and Jill? I guess I'm just not enough for you; you have to creep on my brother in hopes of catching him in the act. You're a sick man, Leon Kennedy."

Leon playfully pushed Claire's head, and was greeted by a laugh. She slapped his hand away before slapping his head. He set his coffee down and shook his head at her.

"Alright, that's it, Redfield. Don't think that I've forgotten your ticklish spots after all these years." Leon warned, his fingers reaching towards her. She let out a scream and turned to run with Leon chasing closely behind her.

She jumped on the bed and crawled to get away from him. Claire burst out laughing when she felt him behind her, his fingers tickling the side of her stomach ferociously. He picked her up and threw her down on the bed. Her laughter stopped as she looked up at him, his hands holding her wrists at either side of her head while his knees planted firmly outside her thighs.

"I don't know what it is about you, Claire Redfield, that always has me coming back." He whispered.

"Me neither, but I'm glad something does."

"You gonna be alright when I leave?"

She forced a smile and put on her brave face. "I'll be fine."

He reached down and took her lips with his. His tongue ran along her teeth, begging for permission to explore her mouth with the desperate heat that consumed his body. He knew his time here was coming to an end. He would enjoy her presence as much as he could before his job took him back within its hungry hands. He would enjoy her while she was still his. Everything after no longer mattered. With a smile, they would share whatever time they had left with each other.

Neither of the two unsuspecting lovers knew that just on the outskirts of the house, Chris and Jill were going over the plans that would no doubt change their lives. They would be one step closer to putting everything to an end, even if it killed them.


	9. One More Time

**Sorry for taking so long to get this chapter up guys. But here it is. Hope everyone enjoys it!**

**Please review!**

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He hadn't told her. How could he? Chris watched his little sister from across the kitchen of his house. He sat quietly at the dinning room table, taking occasional swigs from the bottle of Corona that sat before him, while his fingers nervously shuffled the deck of cards they held. Leon finished the joke and drew loud laughter from Jill and Claire as they finished preparing a salad together. With a smile still on his face, Leon pulled out a beer from the fridge and walked over to Chris, pulling off non-twist off cap and setting it down on the table.

"Time to go make a fire and prepare us some meat?"

"Huh?" Chris looked up to see Leon standing before him, one hand resting on the wooden table while the other held his beer tightly. "Oh yeah, sure."

A confused Leon watched as Chris dragged himself over to the sliding door leading to the backyard. Leon glanced back and, to no surprise, saw both Jill and Claire staring at him. He could read the concern on their faces, and could only shrug as he followed Chris to the backyard. Leon flicked on the light before he closed the sliding door behind him, flashing Claire a smile of reassurance as he walked over to the barbeque. He watched Chris fumble with the knobs and suddenly worried about Chris killing both of them in a horrible barbeque accident. He could see the headlines right now, 'Crazy steroid taking muscle man kills self and other while trying to start barbeque.' That would be just Leon's luck, too. He'd survive two zombie infested cities only to die at the hands of Chris Redfield trying to start up the barbeque. He loved Chris like the brother he never had, but if that headline were to have any truth to it, he would be seriously pissed.

"Um...something wrong, Chris?" Leon asked carefully as he set his beer down and slowly edged Chris away from the barbeque. Chris let out a defeated sigh as he leaned against the ledge of the patio while Leon adjusted the machine before him.

"Jill and I have to leave in the morning."

Leon was so caught up in all the glorious meat they had purchased earlier in the day that he didn't catch the seriousness in his tone. "Where you guys going? Just don't share any dirty little details, because I really don't need those types of images in my head right before we eat."

"We got word that Spencer is still alive, and he might have some answers for what you stumbled upon in Spain. Right now, we need to figure out just what the hell is going on. And he's the first person on our list to question."

The thick steak sizzled as Leon dropped it onto the barbeque. His mouth fell open as he turned to look at his friend. Chris was still looking ahead, his head tilted up as his eyes scanned the clear night sky above him. How amazing would it be if wishing on shooting stars could actually come true? In reality, he knew that no matter how many times the same wish ran through his head, no shooting star in the universe could deliver it to him. Never could he live a normal life.

This was his battle to fight until his dying breath, and it had been decided from the moment he was born. He glanced at the other man who stood beside him, and the concern that had taken over his once carefree features. No, this wasn't just his battle to fight anymore. It was all of theirs. It was the man who stood beside him and the two women they both loved who waited inside for them. It was their battle to fight, and it was the only one they would ever face that had to result in a win.

"When are you guys leaving?" Leon asked in a whisper, his voice hovering over the sizzle from the barbeque beside him.

"We're leaving tomorrow morning. That's why Jill and I were so stuck on having this barbeque right after getting back from the cottage. We needed one last time all together before we leave."

Leon was silent. He didn't know what to say. All he could do was listen. He hated them. He hated all those idiots out there who thought they could do whatever they wanted and get away with it. All those idiots who were threatening everything the four Raccoon City survivors stood for. He hated them for ruining whatever chance they ever had at a normal life over and over again. This particular battle may not be his, but he had complete faith in Chris and Jill's abilities. They would be one step closer to leading a normal life once they took care of this job. His heart pounded in his chest at the possibility, but his head was telling him not to hold his breath. Their hands would always be stained with the blood of those lost along the way, and nothing would ever make them pure again.

"Have you told Claire yet?"

Chris shook his head in response.

"Yeah, I didn't think you would have."

"I'm going to tell her that Jill and I are going away on a vacation since we've had so much time off." A vacation, Chris scoffed. He knew what lay ahead of them couldn't be further from a vacation. But it would get Claire off his back, and it would be a perfect excuse for not being able to call up and check on her every once in a while.

"Are you guys burning the meat out here, or something?" Claire asked as her and Jill came out from the house.

"Oh, shit!" Leon cursed as he immediately turned to the barbeque to flip the meat. A breath escaped his lips when he saw the meat hadn't burned yet. Claire wrapped an arm around Leon waist and leaned up on her toes, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before turning to her brother. Her unsuspecting smile warmed his heart and broke it at the same time. "You alright there, Chris? Geez, don't have a heart attack, the food has been saved." She patted his arm as she moved past him and walked off the patio, heading towards the table where they always eat during the summer.

Jill forced a small smile as she followed Claire, her eyes fell to the ground as she pretended that everything was fine, like everything was like it was only a few short days ago. For the sake of Claire's sanity and safety, she forced herself to laugh and smile like nothing was weighing her heart down so deeply. One more time, Jill told herself.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jill studied her face in the mirror, the only light illuminating her room were rays of moonlight that crept in through her open window. She leaned forward, her hands resting on the mahogany desk in front of her as she found herself getting lost in her reflection. That was probably one of the worst goodbyes she'd ever experienced. All this time, she always thought telling the truth hurt the most. She had no idea that lying about where they were going and what they were doing would be ten times worse. She let out a small sigh and shook the thoughts from her head. They were probably throwing this whole thing out of proportion.

As stupid as it would sound if said out loud, Jill believed that the four of them were...not invincible, but pretty damn close. She believed in her heart that no matter what fate threw at them, they would always be the ones to walk away from it. It was their job to fight against evil every time it arose. She believed it was the single reason for their existence, and that they would live through each and every face off. This time was no different. They would go, and in no time at all, both of them would come back. And Claire wouldn't even have to know.

A soft knock at the door startled her, jerking her away from her thoughts. Still standing in front of the mirror, she glanced towards her closed bedroom door and could see a shadow of someone standing on the other side.

"Claire?"

The door opened just a crack. "No, it's Chris." The person on the other end said.

It was Chris? Since when did Chris, first of all knock, and secondly, knock so politely? "Uh...you can come in?"

"Can I actually? I heard the question mark at the end of that sentence."

Jill let out a small laugh and walked towards the door, deciding that the only way he was going to get past the door frame was if she opened the door for him. "You can come in. What's going on?"

She walked over to the centre of her room, her back facing Chris as she heard the door close. Her heart skipped a beat, her fingers crunching into a fist as her nerves started to wrack her brain. She knew what he had come to her bedroom for, and all of a sudden, she found herself nervous. She gathered every inch of courage she had in her body and turned around. His body was suddenly so close he startled her by how fast and silently he had moved towards her. Before another thought could even run through her mind, she felt his lips against hers.

A low moan slipped through his lips as he tasted her. His hands held either side of her face tightly within them as he pulled her closer. He needed to feel her body tight against his. His muscles ached for her slender body, with curves that could knock a man out with one glance.

She stumbled back at his command, a surprised yelp escaping her lips as she fell backwards onto her bed. Her hands reached behind her, pulling her body to the centre of the bed as Chris followed her motions. He knelt down over top of her, his frame burying hers beneath him as he pulled away from her lips only for a moment. He planted his hands by her hips to support himself. Her taste was so intoxicating she was making it hard for him to balance on his knees.

"I would go to the end of the world for you, Jill Valentine." He whispered to her, a finger sweeping her bangs away from her eyes. "There's nothing I wouldn't do for you, to keep you safe."

She smiled, her lips pressing against his as she responded, her voice soft and quiet. "Shut up and kiss me, Redfield."

She definitely didn't have to tell him twice. His lips took hers once again with passion he didn't know he possessed. His hand trailed up her slender and silky arms, sending a shiver through her body as his fingers lightly scrapped over her neck. His hand held her head affectionately as he tasted the sweetness of the woman underneath him.

Jill grabbed a hold of Chris's shirt, pulling it up and yanking it over Chris's head. Their lips parted as Jill leaned back, her clear eyes scanning over every inch of muscle that was before her. All those hours at the gym had definitely proved to be an excellent way to spend his free time. It definitely wasn't a waste, like she had led herself to believe all this time. He was not the same Chris that she had met all those years ago in S.T.A.R.S. He had grown, both physically and emotionally, into the man that sat before her.

Jill pushed herself onto her knees, Chris following her action as he watched her pull her tank top over her head. Chris let out a sharp breath as he watched her breast appear. He could feel his pants begin to restrict him as his manhood throbbed, aching to touch and taste every inch of her.

Jill threw her head back and closed her eyes tightly as Chris's moist lips sucked her breast. His tongue swirled her nipple around in his mouth as his hand firmly played with her other breast. He loved the feeling of her fingers entangling themselves in his hair. It drove him crazy when he felt her fingers tighten around his short strands of hair with every flick of his tongue. He couldn't wait to feel her fingers digging into his back as he pushed himself further and further into her.

Chris broke away from her breast and looked up at her. "Jill, I need you. Now."

She chuckled and grabbed a tight hold of his arms. "I thought you'd never say that, Chris." She caught him off guard as she pushed him onto his back. He watched as she slipped off the small pair of shorts she had on, letting it drop off the side of the bed. Tugging at his belt, she unbuckled it, her eyes staring deep into Chris's. She could see the intensity lurking deep in his eyes as she unzipped his zipper.

Her hand rubbed up and down his swollen member as he let out a groan. The way she moved her wrist, the way the tips of her fingernails gently ran up and down his shaft, it was nearly too much for him to take. The anticipation of sharing a bed with her was killing him, and he didn't think he could handle any more teasing. "Jill, please."

She chuckled and slipped two of her fingers into her mouth. He let out a groan as he watched her full lips slid up and down her fingers, imagining those beautiful lips somewhere else. He watched as her fingers trailed down between her legs. It came as no surprise to her to see that she didn't need to lubricate herself. Since the first kiss they shared when he came into her bedroom, she could feel electricity rock her entire body. Never had she experienced such strong feelings with a man. Chris Redfield was truly one of a kind.

She straddled his waist and slowly lowered herself on him. A sharp breath escaped through her teeth as she felt herself widen to take him in. He let out a groan, his fingers digging into her hips as she began to ride him. He pushed on her hips, driving himself further into her and pulling her away, only to do it again. It didn't take long for him to lose control and throw her down on the bed. Chris Redfield was always in control.

He grabbed a hold of himself and slid it inside of Jill. He watched her grind her teeth as he pounded himself into her, excited gasps escaping her lips with every thrust. She dug her fingernails into his buttocks as she pulled him deeper and deeper inside of her. She could fell him driving her to the edge, and could do more than dig her fingers deeper into his flesh.

As she tightened around him, he lost control. He exploded inside of her while she continued to close in on him. Breathless, he collapsed on the bed beside her, still throbbing. She shifted to her side and looked at him. He could see the intensity in her eyes and suddenly was all too aware of their job in the morning.

"Want me to wake you up nice and early?" She asked him, her voice in a mere whisper.

He forced a smile and nodded, brushing his fingers through her hair. "Same way you always do, Jill. Let's put an end to this."


	10. Time is Running Out

**So, here it is, my final chapter for this story.**

**I have to seriously thank everyone was kind enough to leave reviews, whether they were flames or not. Every review helped me make the story into something that, hopefully, everyone liked. If it weren't for everyone who reviewed this story, I have no doubt in my mind that I never would have continued it.**

**I greatly appreciate every person who stood up for me in reviews. It actually made me smile as I read them, and you will forever have my gratitude.**

**So, this last chapter goes out to everyone who was kind enough to read through each chapter, no matter how boring some of them may have been, and who left an encouraging review. This one is for you guys, and I really hope you enjoy it.**

**Thank you very much for sticking with this story. I couldn't be happier with the outcome of what started as a day dream as I rode the subway home from work one night.**

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Leon's eyes fluttered open as Claire's bedroom door opened just a crack, letting a line of light shine through the darkness. He saw the short hair and tall build of the figure on the other side, and knew it was Chris. Leon pushed himself onto his elbow and looked at the woman who lay under his other arm. Claire was fast asleep and cuddled closely against him. Carefully, Leon took his arm away from Claire's waist and slowly climbed out of her bed. He glanced at the door and was relieved to see the shadow was no longer there. Good. Chris didn't need to see that Leon was sleeping in the same bed as his little sister in only boxers.

Leon searched through the darkness for is wife-beater, hoping that Claire had thrown it in clear site the night before. After a few moments of searching, he finally found it and slipped it on as he headed for the bedroom door. Closing it silently behind him, Leon walked down the stairs and headed towards the living room, where Jill and Chris were both waiting.

Leon's eyes found the clock that was hung up on the wall and was surprised to see that it wasn't even six o'clock yet. "Are you guys heading out already?" He asked, rubbing his eyes as he slumped down onto the couch.

"I'm going to say bye to Claire." Jill said in a low voice as she moved past the two men.

"Jill, remember, we're going on a vacation together, so you're happy. Put on your best fake smile." Chris reminded her as she disappeared at the top of the stairs.

"Claire? You awake?" Jill asked as she walked into Claire's darkened bedroom. She caught a glimpse of a small knife that Claire had on her nightstand and shook her head. No matter how much they tried, they would never be able to sleep without a weapon within arms reach. Thank you Umbrella, for the lovely memento that they were doomed to carry for the rest of their days.

Claire shifted in bed when Jill sat down beside her. Jill rested a hand on Claire's shoulder. At the touch, Claire jerked awake with a startled gasp. When she saw the comforting face of Jill, she threw her hand over her heart.

"Are you trying to kill me or something, Jill?"

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to scare you. I'm just coming to say bye…Chris and I are leaving soon."

Claire's face lit up as she sat against her headboard, now fully awake. "So since you guys are going on vacation, does that mean you've sealed the deal? Oh God, that sounds horrible…no, not like, the sexual deal. I'm talking about the boyfriend/girlfriend deal."

Jill forced a smile and only nodded in response. She knew that, at that moment, if she spoke, she would tell her the truth. And then Chris would kill her, and she would never see her beautiful bed again. And that was definitely not on the agenda for the day.

"I'm so glad you guys are finally together…I know this was a long time coming. Isn't this cool? Me and Leon, you and Chris…it's perfect now! I just wish you guys had invited us to come with you!" Claire joked, nudging Jill's arm.

Jill forced another smile. _You definitely don't want to come with us, Claire. _"Don't worry; it probably won't be _that_ much fun. After all, I am going with your brother."

"So, what are you going to do while we're gone?" Chris asked. Translation, what are you planning to do to my sister when I'm not around to kick your ass?

"I'm not sure." Leon paused for a moment before finishing his train of thoughts. "Actually, I was planning on sticking around until you guys came back."

Chris's eyes widened in surprise from his answer. "Are you serious? I mean, can you even do that?"

Leon shrugged. "After what I did for the President's daughter, I'm more than positive it won't be a problem."

"Very nice. Well, I'm glad you'll be sticking around a little while longer this time, Kennedy. But we're not planning to make this a long trip or anything. Get in and get out."

"I hope that's not your point of view on sex, Chris."

"Hey, you're no longer allowed to talk about sex in any way shape or form now that you're with my little sister, pal."

Leon opened his mouth to throw a comeback at Chris, but turned his attention to the stairs behind him when he heard footsteps descending towards them. Claire and Jill walked over to the two men. Claire threw her arms around her big brother and smiled to herself when she realized her hands couldn't even touch when she was hugging him.

"I'm sorry, Chris, were you planning on leaving without saying goodbye to me? Not impressed, Chris. So. Not. Impressed."

"Aw, shut up, squirt. You know I was going to come say bye." He bent down and kissed her head affectionately. It shocked him when he realized he didn't have to bend down as much as he used to. His little Claire was all grown up. She was a woman now, and dating his best friend. She didn't need him protecting her any longer. She had proved countless times before that she was more than capable of doing it herself. He smiled to himself and rubbed his hand on her head, messing up and tangling the red strands together.

Chris took in a deep breath and reached for his suitcase. He and Jill had packed a suitcase each full of bulletproof vests, guns and knifes to take with them. But Claire didn't need to know that. As far as she was concerned, it was stuffed full of bathing suits and shorts and anything else a new couple would take on a vacation together. Chris wouldn't have it any other way. Not if it were up to him at least.

Chris followed Jill to the front door and turned, pointing his finger towards Leon. "You take care of her while we're gone. Or you're next."

Leon let out a laugh, ignoring the confused look Claire shot him as her brother closed the door behind him. Letting out a sharp breath, Leon ran his hands over Claire's arms as he pulled her towards the stairs and back towards her bedroom.

"What does he mean 'you're next'?"

Leon shrugged. "Are you actually asking me to interpret something your brother says? Come on, Claire."

Claire stopped at the top of the stairs She wrapped her arms around Leon's neck, pulling him down to her lips. She looked into his eyes, his hardened eyes and found herself at a loss for words. What was once soft and warm had turned hard and cold. But still, when he looked at her, she could feel the warmth and affection that came from his eyes.

"You know, I'm not really that tired." She whispered to him, her face only inches away from his.

"Oh yeah?" Leon smirked, his hands trailing down the side of her body.

She ignored the arousal in his voice and smiled. "Yeah, actually, I'm kind of hungry. Breakfast?"

Leon couldn't help but laugh. "Are you suggesting we eat your brother's precious food?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"That's exactly what I'm suggesting."

With one more quick glance, Leon and Claire darted down the stairs and headed towards the kitchen. Claire turned on the radio as Leon rummaged through the freezer, pulling out bacon, hash browns, sausages, anything that he could get his hands on and take away from Chris. Claire bent down under him and opened the fridge, grabbing the carton of eggs as she moved towards the stove.

Leon glanced over at the woman beside him as she sang along to the song that was playing on the radio. She had a smile on her face as she cracked eggs into a pan, strands of hair falling over her pale face. She looked like an angel, Leon thought to himself. She was the most pure and innocent thing he had seen in the last several years of his life, though her hands were stained with blood just as much as his. He would keep her safe, no matter what it cost him. He made a promise to Chris, and he fully intended on keeping his word.

Claire was his angel sent from the heavens to keep him sane through all the darkness that tried to consume him. In every fight he's ever found himself in, she's been his single reason for making it out alive. No matter how small his chances were of surviving, he could see her face and knew that he wasn't going to have his last breath drawn out of him until he could touch her once again.

His objective this time was simple; keep that beautiful smile on Claire's face until her brother and Jill returned. Standing there in the kitchen with her as she continued to cook the eggs, he knew that he had a simple mission in front of him. Caught up in the hope of the four of them being reunited again shortly, Leon was completely unaware that tragedy would strike again. But this time, it would be too close to home for comfort.


End file.
